Thailand May Expand Medical Cannabis Production

Translated from High Times

To date, the Thai cabinet has approved amendments to the country's narcotics law, which would allow for the private production and sale of medical marijuana - a significant step in the Thai cannabis market, which has so far been minimal.

The amendments, proposed last month, have cleared the cabinet but still need to be approved by Parliament before they can officially become law.

Thailand has already made headlines for being the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize medical cannabis to some extent. However, initially, only the Thai government could cultivate cannabis, so the industry was very limited and unable to advance further due to all the restrictions. Now, if the five-year ban on private sector cannabis is finally lifted, as many expect, everything will change for the local industry.

The Current Status of Marijuana in Thailand

Under current restrictions, only state agencies are able to produce, import, or export cannabis. No one outside the government or government-supported farmer groups or universities has been able to apply for licenses to do so. Additionally, it is not legal to apply for a new license to cultivate cannabis, and the date for applying for new licenses is currently set for 2024. This has left many frustrated about how the industry could advance.

Now, under this new system, if approved, people from outside Thailand will be able to engage with the industry; they just will not be able to hold shares exceeding one-third of a company.

In other words, the Thai people will still have to be the majority shareholders of all cannabis companies, but others will finally be able to get involved. International travelers may also apply for import or export licenses now to bring cannabis in or out of the country for the purpose of treating an illness.

"The law will promote the pharmaceutical industry and increase competitiveness, which will be important for Thailand to become a leader in medical marijuana," explained Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Those who obtain licenses will now be eligible to sell or produce cannabis, rather than leaving power solely in the hands of a few.

Furthermore, Thailand has finally removed cannabis extracts from its list of narcotics and opened clinics for medical cannabis. Although marijuana has been medically legal in Thailand since 2017, it has taken so long for the industry to really move forward, and cannabis is still a category five drug in Thailand, meaning possession can be punished by up to 15 years in prison or heavy fines.

In some Southeast Asian countries, trafficking marijuana can still be punishable by death, so these measures are still significant for the Thai people. Even being able to buy and sell legal marijuana in the market is a big step.

Thailand still has a long way to go before reaching something like a healthy industry or full legalization, but if this amendment is approved, 2021 could see many exciting new possibilities for medical cannabis in Southeast Asia and for the medical cannabis industry worldwide.